If you go …

The Moffat County Commission, at its regular Tuesday meeting, pledged $200 to sponsor the Northwest Colorado Oil and Gas Symposium.

The seminar is scheduled to take place from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Haven Community Room, 300 S. Sheldon St., Hayden.

Yampa Valley Data Partners and the Community Agriculture Alliance are hosting the meeting.

Kate Nowak, executive director of Partners, issued a letter to the Moffat County Commission asking for its support Aug. 23.

The Commission unanimously approved sponsorship Tuesday.

The purpose of the Oil and Gas Symposium is two-fold: “To increase public awareness and knowledge of oil and gas production in Northwest Colorado and to educate surface and mineral rights owners,” according to the letter.

State Sen. Jean White, R-Hayden, will be moderator for the meeting.

Additional guest speakers billed for the event include Karen Utterback-Norman, an area landowner; Matt Holman, Shell project manager, who will discuss the oil and gas industry; David Neslin, Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, who will touch on regulation; Jessica Ryan, an attorney with Klauzer & Tremaine; Craig Meis, Mesa County commissioner, who will talk about economic impacts; and Marty O’Mara, fluid geologist with the Bureau of Land Management, who will address environmental impacts.

The symposium is geared toward residents of Moffat and Routt counties.

Moffat County Commissioner Audrey Danner said Meis was invited to provide an outside perspective on the economic impacts of oil and gas exploration because operations in Mesa County are different from Moffat and Routt.

“It’s a good cast,” Moffat County Commissioner Tom Mathers said. “They may have to open up that entire room.”

Danner, Mathers and Moffat County Commissioner Tom Gray said they are planning to attend.

The symposium is open to the public. A $20 fee is required to attend, which includes dinner.

Michele Meyer, fundraising and public relations coordinator for the agriculture alliance, said the Haven Community Room has a capacity of 120 people.

“Our head count is currently at 85,” Meyer said Tuesday afternoon. “And, the phone is ringing off the hook.”

Anyone interesting in attending should RSVP with the alliance by calling 879-4370 by Thursday.

At its Tuesday meeting, the Moffat County Commission also approved, 3-0, waiving a bid process for book binding services to repair the county’s real estate records dating back to 1911.